D40/D50 for backup body??

So, with my beloved D70s going away to Ritz for dust removal (embedded on the sensor), and the prospect of being SLR-less for about four weeks, I've decided getting a D40 or used D50 for a backup body would be a good idea. Now, I don't need the extra pixels of the D40x, so the base would be fine. Plus, with my Nikkor lenses, the 18-55 could also see use on my D70s when I want the added features of the larger model without the added weight of the 18-70.

Anyway, I guess I just need to find a used D50 in good shape, or just get the D40 new. At only $600, that kit is quite a steal!

Hmmm... do you have any lenses that will cause a problem with the D40... as far as the AF goes? Of course, I think the D40 is too small, but thats personal opinion. I'm sure you'll be fine either way. My vote is the D50 anyway

Perhaps you look around on the web and even find a new D50 at a steal?

People fret way too much about lens compatibility with the D40.
Nikon and the 3rd party, Sigma, have a full focal length range covered with internal motor lenses. And what is so hard about manual focus anyway, especially for macro and wide angle shots? That's how it was done for decades (and that's how I learned photography as well).
The only people for whom the D40 would be a problem would be those with an extensive collection of older Nikon telephoto lenses, and those people are hardly likely to pick the bottom-end camera anyway.
The D40 has superior image quality compared to the D50 according to the testers, so....

Well, I as well as others probably don't fret too much about lens compatibility with the D40. I only stated that incase it was an issue for the OP. Some people don't like to MF or even know how to do it well.. does take a little practice

I prefer to focus manually, and most of my picture-taking life has been spent with older manual focus SLRs.

Unfortunately, manual focussing on any newer SLR or DSLR is not what it's cracked up to be. The problems are many:

Autofocus lenses have a very short throw on the focus ring. It allows them to autofocus quickly, but means that its is very difficult to focus accurately with fingertips instead of microcontrolled motors.

Autofocus lenses have very loose/sloppy focus rings, again to allow quick autofocussing. But that means manual focussing is tough because it's easy to bump the lens or have it fall out of focus.

No split-image or fresnel focus assists in the viewfinders.

Many DSLRs use a pentamirror construction with lower magnification for the viewfinder, making it even more difficult to focus correctly.

All of this is to say, I wouldn't want to give up autofocus on any lens I own. The point of a backup body, is to be able to swap it in and continue shooting without missing a beat. A backup body doesn't need every bell and whistle, but I don't consider autofocus "optional" any more.

So, with my beloved D70s going away to Ritz for dust removal (embedded on the sensor), and the prospect of being SLR-less for about four weeks, I've decided getting a D40 or used D50 for a backup body would be a good idea. Now, I don't need the extra pixels of the D40x, so the base would be fine. Plus, with my Nikkor lenses, the 18-55 could also see use on my D70s when I want the added features of the larger model without the added weight of the 18-70.

Anyway, I guess I just need to find a used D50 in good shape, or just get the D40 new. At only $600, that kit is quite a steal!

Click to expand...

Overstock is currently selling D70s bodies for $630, if that's an interesting option for you.

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